Will Smith does it again.
A virus has wiped out humankind, and as far as Robert Neville (Smith) knows, he’s the last man on earth in 2012. When Neville isn’t hunting for food or gathering supplies, he’s doing research to find a cure for the deadly virus that he is immune to. But the research and exploring can only be done during the day, because night brings out a horror that keeps Neville and his dog Sam hiding behind barricaded doors.
I Am Legend might be compared to
28 Weeks Later, Signs, or even
The Road Warrior. But don’t be fooled, I Am Legend is not the same ol’ thing. The script is clever and original. And Smith’s performance impressed me once again
Yes, the film is dark, but not without hope. The pacing is slow, but steady. It had me on the edge of my seat, never a dull moment.
The visual effects were amazing. New Yorkers will love the futuristic glimpse of an empty, weed infested Manhattan in the same way we enjoyed seeing an ivy grown Washington DC in
Logan’s Run decades ago.
I really enjoyed this film. It will probably find its way onto my DVD shelf.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The film was completely clean, it’s just intense and a little scary. The violence is truly PG-13, almost mild by today’s standards. But use your discretion with younger kids. I’ll let my 14 year old see it with me, but not my 10 and 12 year olds.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth
Ministry, is the author of numerous books including the new
Should I Just Smash My Kid's Phone?, and youth ministry books like
Ministry By Teenagers,
Connect: Real Relationships in a
World of Isolation, and the award winning book
Do They Run When They See You Coming? Jonathan
speaks and trains at conferences, churches and events across North
America, all while providing free resources for youth workers and parents on his
websites,
TheSource4YM.com and
TheSource4Parents.com. You can follow Jonathan on
his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help.
Jonathan and his wife Lori, and their three teenagers Alec, Alyssa and Ashley live
in California.
